Rashes in General Practice
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My child has a rash – is it serious?
Eczema – how should I use steroids?
How can I pick the right treatment for acne?
My child has a rash – is it serious?
Key questions:
1. Is the child unwell?
Just look & listen
What are the obs? (Pulse, RR, Temp, CRT)
2. Is there involvement of the mouth, lips or tongue?
3. Is there conjunctivitis with the rash?
If yes to any of these, STOP and THINK
Exanthems
Widespread rash with systemic symptoms such as fever, malaise and headache.
But – includes temperature rash, viral rash, scarlet fever Kawasaki (MCLN), meningococcal rash, measles…..
Meningococcal Disease
Value of vaccination but still 2,000 cases p.a. in UK
Septicaemia vs meningitis – the younger are more likely to have non-specific symptoms
Other purpuric rashes – vomiting, Henoch-Schonlein, ITP, viral, leukaemia
Scarlet Fever
Group A beta haemolytic streptococci that produces an erythrogenic toxin.
tonsillitis, fever, headache and malaise develop after an incubation period of 2 to 4 days
Rash entire body and limbs
papules on diffuse erythema that blanches on pressure
more marked over the skinfolds, transverse lines containing tiny petechiae
area around the mouth is spared
skin may feel rough like sandpaper
lasts for 2-3 days, followed by desquamation mainly on soles and palms
Throat pharynx is diffusely reddened
enlarged and red tonsils covered with a white exudate.
tongue may be initially furred with enlarged papillae - strawberry tongue'
usually there is enlargement of regional lymph nodes
Scarletina – drop-kick into touch please…..
Kawasaki Disease
Acute febrile illness with inflammation of small- and medium-sized blood vessels throughout the body, in
particular, the coronary arteries. Also known as Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome.
Usually self-limiting and resolves without treatment within 4-8 weeks
15-20% of cases will have some damage to coronary arteries and approximately
2% of patients will die from a heart attack.
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Fever 40’ C or above persisting at least 5 days
Plus 4 of the following 5 conditions should also be met.
1. Hands &feet: swelling and redness followed by peeling of fingertips and toes
2. Diffuse red rash covering most of body, usually appearing 5 days after start of the fever
3. Red eyes (bilateral conjunctival injection)
4. Mouth changes such as a red tongue (strawberry tongue) and dry cracked lips
5. Enlarged lymph glands in the neck (>1.5cm), usually unilateral
Measles
Catarrhal stage:
prodromal illness with fever, coryza, conjunctivitis, and cough
Koplik spots - on the buccal mucosa, especially on the inside of the cheeks
sometimes generalised lymphadenopathy
irritability (feeling “measly”)
Exanthematous stage:
maculopapular rash appears 3 to 5 days later
firstly behind the ears, then down the body, becoming confluent, fading by the third day
Other Paediatric Rashes
The above are interesting and potentially dangerous
Most “Paediatric Infection Rashes” will be viral exanthema and of no consequence
Ones worth reading up:
Roseola infantum
Chickenpox
Urticaria (most common cause in children is viral)
Slapped Cheek
Molluscum
Hand foot & mouth
Eczema – how should I use steroids?
Where does dry skin end and eczema begin?
If eczema = dermatitis, what does “~itis” mean?
What treatment options do you have?
Moisturiser (emollient)
Creams vs ointments vs bath additives
Topical steroids
Mild – hydrocortisone
Moderate – Betamethasone (Betnovate)
Potent - clobetasol propionate (Dermovate)
Antibiotic
Anti-staphylococcal action
Systemic (preferred) vs topical
Anti-itch
Anti-histamines
Creams
Other options
Tacrolimus
Referral
How safe is it to use steroids?
Step up and step down approach (treatment stages & steroid strength)
Pulses of 5-10 days (avoid too short, review if need long courses)
Always stress importance of moisturiser
Understand finger-tip units (patient.co.uk) 1 FTU cover adult hand front & back
Follow these rules and use of face, use with infants is OK
What about hand eczema?
Three-way approach
Moisturise
Steroid (usually moderate)
Protect ++++
Deep fissures – Heelan tape
Consider occupational cause
Can you recognise seborrhoeic dermatitis?
Infantile - cradle-cap
Treat with moisturiser
Adult – fungal
Nasolabial fold, eyebrows, dandruff
Treat with Ketoconazole, mild topical steroids
Can you recognise (acne) rosacea?
Features:
Erythema
Papules & pustules
Telangectasia
Sebaceous hypertrophy
Treatment
Avoid triggers
Tetracyclines, never steroids
How can I pick the right treatment for acne?
Grade acne as mild, moderate & severe
Mild Acne
Start with otc topical treatments
Not inflammatory (papules & comedones)
Topical retinoids
Inflammatory
Benzoyl peroxide
Moderate Acne
Add in oral treatments
Oxytetracycline
Skin-friendly COC – Yasmin, Dianette
Severe Acne
Consider referral for Roaccutane
Early if there is large nodules & cysts or “ice-pick” scars
Some do’s and don’ts
Treatments take 3-4 months to develop full effect
Topical antibiotics may encourage antibiotic resistance, especially if you are using a different one orally
Minocycline is VERY expensive
Interesting websites
www.dermnetnz.org
www.dermis.net
Revised 14.9.10
Assessing Unwell Children
Age in Years
<1
1-2
2-5
5-12
Over 12
Heart Rate /
Min
110-160
100-150
95-140
80-120
60-100
Resp
Rate/Min
30-40
25-35
25-30
20-25
15-20
Systolic
BP
70-90
80-95
80-100
90-110
100-120
A recent, national study found that almost 50% of children presenting to GPs with meningococcal
disease were sent home on their first visit and that these children were more likely to die. The
study found that the first symptoms reported by parents of children with meningitis and
septicaemia were common to many self-limiting viral illnesses. This prodromal phase lasted up to 4
hours in young children but as long as 8 hours in adolescents, followed by the more specific and
severe symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia
Red Flag Signs of Early Septicaemia
In all age groups, signs of septicaemia and circulatory shut-down were next to develop – 72% of
children had limb pain, pale or mottled skin, or cold hands and feet at a median time of 8 hours
from the onset of illness. Parents of younger children also reported drowsiness, rapid or laboured
breathing, and sometimes diarrhoea. Thirst was reported in older children.
Classic Symptoms
These tended to present later. The first classic symptom was a rash, which appeared at 8-9 hours
(median time) in babies and young children, but later in older children. Although not always
present, it was the most common classic feature of meningococcal disease. Meningitis symptoms
(neck stiffness, photophobia, bulging fontanelle) appeared later – 12 to 15 hours from onset. They
were more common in older children and were not reliable signs in children under age 5.
NICE Guidelines on Feverish Illness in Children specify that temperature, heart rate, respiratory
rate and capillary refill time should be routinely measured and recorded in all feverish children
aged under five.
A respiratory rate of >60 breaths/minute is classified as ‘red’ in the NICE traffic-light system,
requiring urgent referral to a paediatric specialist. NICE classifies children with RR >50 at 6-12
months of age or RR >40 at >1 year of age to be at intermediate risk of serious illness: they should
be assessed face-to-face and their need for paediatric care considered.
A raised heart rate can be a sign of serious illness, particularly septic shock.
You should check capillary refill by pressing for 5 seconds on the big toe or a finger, or on the
sternum, and count the seconds it takes for colour to return. Capillary refill time ≥3 seconds signals
intermediate risk of severe infection1, and when prolonged to ≥4 seconds on peripheries,
especially with raised heart and respiratory rates, suggests shock.
If a pulse oximeter is available you should check oxygen saturation: normal value is >95% in air.
Hypotension is an important sign in adults, but it is a late and ominous sign in children, which limits
its diagnostic value. Children and adolescents can compensate for shock and maintain normal
blood pressure until septicaemia is far advanced.
Drowsiness/impaired consciousness in children with septicaemia is a late and grave prognostic sign
and indicates immediate action. True neck stiffness can be assessed by checking whether a patient
can kiss their knees, or by assessing the ease of passive flexion in a relaxed patient. Neck stiffness
signifies meningitis, but is absent in septicaemia. It is not common in young children even with
meningitis, so the absence of neck stiffness in a febrile child is NEVER reassuring.
Antibiotic Therapy
If meningococcal infection is suspected, the patient should be transferred to hospital by the
quickest means of transport, usually an emergency ambulance, and parenteral antibiotics should
be given at the earliest opportunity usually while arranging transport to hospital. Urgent transfer to
hospital is the key priority. The evidence on effectiveness of pre-hospital antibiotics is inconclusive,
because disease severity is a confounding factor. Current guidelines advise giving parenteral
antibiotics for suspected meningococcal disease at the pre-hospital stage. Antibiotics can be
administered IV, IM, or IO. IM antibiotics should be given as proximally as possible, into a part of
the limb that is still warm (the cold area being more poorly perfused).
Choice of antibiotic:
Pre-hospital administration of Benzylpenicillin has been recommended since 1988, and expert
guidelines continue to recommend that all GPs carry it and inject it unless there is a history of
immediate allergic reactions after previous penicillin administration. GPs do not need to carry
alternative antibiotics, but third generation Cephalosporins (Cefotaxime rather than Ceftriaxone for
first line use in meningococcal septicaemia) and Chloramphenicol are recommended alternatives if
available. Thamesdoc carries Benzylpenicillin, Cefotaxime and Chloramphinicol.
Paramedics have the mandate to give Benzylpenicillin for suspected meningococcal septicaemia
with a non-blanching rash, and the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee and
Meningitis Research Foundation have collaborated to produce a guideline for paramedics on this.
Transfer to Hospital
The patient should be transferred to hospital by the quickest means of transport, usually 999
ambulance. Ambulance control and hospital staff need to know the diagnosis, whether the patient
has a non-blanching rash, and especially whether there are serious prognostic signs such as a
rapidly evolving rash, shock, or impaired conscious level. A GP referring a patient to hospital should
contact the on-call paediatrician/emergency personnel so that they can expect this patient.